Blink-182 Tops Chart With New Release

Blink-182, the Orange County punk-pop teen faves, extends rock’s hold on the top of the nation’s album sales chart to five weeks, thanks to an impressive first-week showing by the trio’s “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.”

The MCA album sold an estimated 350,000 copies last week, ending the three-week hold on No. 1 by Staind, the Massachusetts metal band, according to SoundScan. Tool, another intense hard-rock group, kicked off the latest rock chart resurgence five weeks ago with its latest album, “Lateralus.” Staind and Tool ranked No. 2 (82,000 sales last week) and No. 9 (106,000 sales) respectively on the new chart.

They are joined in the Top 15 by six other rock-leaning albums, including the pop-rock bounce of Sugar Ray’s “Sugar Ray,” which enters the charts at No. 6, to the arty soundscapes of Radiohead’s “Amnesiac,” which is No. 8 after two weeks in the stores.

The other rock-related albums in the Top 15: Weezer’s “Weezer” (No. 10), Train’s “Drops of Jupiter” (No. 11), Linkin Park’s “Hybrid Theory” (No. 13) and the Dave Matthews Band’s “Everyday” (No. 15). Another rock act, Travis, enters the charts at No. 39 with its “The Invisible Band” album.

But rap, which along with teen pop has been a more dominant chart-topping sound in recent years, is expected to recapture the No. 1 spot next week. That’s thanks to D12’s “Devil’s Night,” which was released Tuesday. The group’s chief asset: the hugely popular Eminem, whose latest solo album, “The Marshall Mathers LP,” sold 1.7 million copies in just its first week in the stores in May 2000.

Because Eminem is only one of six rappers in D12, “Devil’s Night” isn’t likely to come close to the “Mathers” total. But retailers say it should exceed Blink-182’s first-week figure.

The rest of this week’s Top 10 positions are claimed by Destiny’s Child (No. 3), the “Moulin Rouge” soundtrack (No. 4), rap collective St. Lunatics (No. 5) and the various-artist hits compilation “Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 6” (No. 7).The nation’s No. 1 single is Lil’ Romeo’s “My Baby.”

Sound Advice

(From The Times’ album reviews)

Blink-182’s “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket” (MCA). Despite its crass, juvenile jokes, the superstar punk-pop trio with the never-grow-up attitude accurately articulates the pain and absurdity of adolescence. (Natalie Nichols)

Staind’s “Break the Cycle,” Flip/Elektra. Oozing with bittersweet choruses and restless guitar riffs, the latest album from the melodic Massachusetts metal rockers is surprisingly exhilarating, considering its dark, angst-filled themes. (Lina Lecaro)

Sugar Ray’s “Sugar Ray” (Lava/Atlantic). The quintessential skateboard brat party band uses a palette of sounds (from heavy guitar riffage to buoyant dance beats), a smirky disposition and a lyrical frame of reference that doesn’t extend much beyond cold love and hot sex. (Marc Weingarten)